COVID & SECURITY – FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS

CHINA AND XINJIANG PARTICULARLY SITS AT THE EPICENTRE OF CONCERN ABOUT COVID & SECURITY ISSUES. AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS GOING TO THE AREA WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE SECURITY THERE, PARTNERING WITH GLOBAL RESCUE’S WORLD-WIDE RISK ANALYSIS TEAM.

THE CURRENT GLOBAL RESCUE RISK WARNING IS:

Security Risk Rating

Low

The risk rating for China is Moderate due to a Low security risk rating and a High health risk rating. There are low levels of crime and civil unrest. Terrorism is a minimal threat, but lone-wolf attacks occur sporadically. Travelers to China should be particularly aware of vector-borne diseases, as well as the presence of the Avian Flu in recent years. Most medical facilities in China typically do not meet Western standards of care.

There is an outgoing outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.

2021

FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS ARE CONTINUING TO RUN TRIPS THROUGHOUT THE EVENTS OF 2021. DESPITE CHINA HAVING A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE COVID CRISIS WE ARE JUGGLING SCHEDULES & TEAM AROUND TO KEEP THE TRIPS GOING WE CAN AND TO RESCHEDULE THOSE BETTER MOVED TO 2022.

CONCERN TOO IS BEING VOICED ABOUT SECURITY IN XINJIANG – AN AREA WE HAVE +20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN. OUR PARTNERS BOTH IN RUNNING TRIPS & IN THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES CONFIRM THIS DOES NOT AFFECT TRIPS TO K2.

COVID

CURRENTLY ANYONE ENTERING CHINA IS REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE IN THEIR CITY OF ENTRY, AND SOME LOCATIONS LIKE SOME TIBETAN AREAS BORDING XIZANG PROVINCE MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL QUARANTINE. PEOPLE DOING THIS ARE ISSUED DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW AS THEY MOVE ABOUT. MASKS ARE BEING USED BUT ARE NO LONGER ENFORCED. EVERY BUILDING HAS A THERMOMETER DISPLAY AND SOME PLACES RECORD YOUR VISIT TO TRACK POTENTIAL INFECTIONS.

PRIOR TO BEGINNING ALL OUR TRIPS, CLIMBERS FROM OUTSIDE CHINA ARE REQUIRED TO SHOW A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH THAT INCLUDES A COVID TEST & WHERE POSSIBLE VACCINATION. VACCINATIONS MAY BE POSSIBLE TO ARRANGE INSIDE CHINA.

WHILST NORMAL SOCIETAL FUNCTIONS ARE STILL FAR FROM REPAIRED, WE ARE HAPPY THAT EXPEDITION CLIMBING HAS NEVER BEEN PART OF NORMAL SOCIETY ANYWAY. BY THEIR VERY NATURE, THE TRIPS WE RUN ARE LOW RISK TO EXPOSURE TO ALL CONTAGIONS – INCLUDING COVID-19 – ANYWAY. ACROSS NEARLY TWO DECADES OF TRIPS WE’VE NEVER HAD A SINGLE CLIMBER PULLED FROM VIRAL INFECTION. THE REASONS FOR THIS BEING;

WE PREDOMINANTLY ARE FAR FROM CROWDED CITIES
WE AVOID INTERNATIONAL HUBS AND HOTELS WHERE TRANSIENTS PASS THRU
WE GO IN SMALL TEAMS
WE MOVE THRU AREAS QUICKLY
WE TAKE HYGIENE SERIOUSLY

WHILST TRUE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL ELEMENT OF AN EXPEDITION INVOLVES THE COMPRESSION OF FLIGHTS AND AIR HUBS, THIS PART OF A TRIP COMPRISES RARELY MORE THAN 5% OF THE OVERALL TIMELINE, THE REST BEING BELOW-NORMAL RISK FOR MOST PEOPLES COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.

WE HAVE KEPT CONTINUITY FOR MOST TRIPS THAT WERE ON THE BOOKS BEFORE FEBRUARY 2020. TRIPS TO TIBET IN LATE AUTUMN / EARLY WINTER ARE STILL SCHEDULED, AS ARE PLANNED TRIPS TO XINJIANG. AFTER EXTENSIVE CORRESPONDENCE WITH CHINESE AUTHORITIES WE HAVE THE LOW DOWN ON PERMIT MATTERS AND CAN ADJUST AS REQUIRED.

WE ARE IMPLEMENTING SEVERAL THINGS TO KEEP THE MARGIN OF INFECTION EVEN MORE REDUCED THAN NORMAL;

WE ASK ALL CLIMBERS TO WEAR MASKS ANY TIME OUTSIDE THE TRAIL HEADS; THIS INCLUDES ON TRANSPORT, IN CARS, AROUND TOWNS, AT CONVENIENCE STORES
WE WONT SHARE TENTS. CLIMBERS WILL ALL HAVE INDIVIDUAL TENTS
TO MINIMIZE TIME SPENT IN TOWNS WE ASK CLIMBERS TO PRE-BUY AS MUCH FOOD AS POSSIBLE
WE ASK CLIMBERS WHO INTEND TO ALSO TRAVEL IN CHINA TO SCHEDULE THEIR CLIMBING TRIP BEFORE THE TRAVEL PART (REGULAR TRAVEL BEING A LOT MORE RISK-EXPOSED THAN CLIMBING)
WE HIGHLY ADVOCATE TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE WITH A PROVIDER CHECKED FOR THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON CV19 RELATED COVERAGE
WE CAN PROVIDE TRIP CONFIRMATION FOR CLIMBERS NEEDING IT TO COME TO CHINA

PLEASE NOTE THESE MEASURES ARE AS MUCH ABOUT PROTECTING OUR CLIMBERS AS THEY ARE ABOUT PROTECTING THE COMMUNITIES WE VISIT – WE WANT TO PATRONIZE THEM TO BRING MONEY TO SMALL TOWNS, BUT WE NEED TO USE SOME SIMPLE METHODS TO DO SO. REGARDLESS OF ANY ONES THOUGHTS ON THE EFFICACY OF MASKS TO PREVENT CATCHING A VIRUS, THEIR EFFECTIVENESS OF REDUCING SPREADING A VIRUS IS WELL PROVEN, SO WHEN EVERYBODY IS MASKED UP THE OVERALL RISK BECOMES. WE FEEL THAT FOR THE MINOR HASSLE THE REWARDS ARE WORTH IT.

USING OUR REGULAR RISK ASSESSMENT MODEL, WE CURRENTLY SEE THE DANGERS OF VIRAL INFECTION FOR OUR TRIPS AS NORMAL, THO THE RISKS ARE SPREAD DIFFERENTLY; WHILST THE RISKS OF INFECTION ARE SLIGHTLY HIGHER FROM THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ELEMENT OF A TRIP, THEY ARE MANAGEABLE TO WITHIN A WELL ACCEPTABLE DEGREE IN RELATION TO THE RISKS OF THE REST OF THE TRIP.

MEANWHILE REGULAR RISKS ARE LOWER THAN NORMAL; TRAFFIC IS DOWN, POLLUTION IS DOWN, CROWDING IS DOWN, PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY IS UP, URBAN AREAS ARE CLEANER AND LESS CONGESTED THAN USUAL. CONSIDERING MOST CLIMBING RISK IS CONDENSED AROUND ON-ROAD (REDUCED) AND ON-MOUNTAIN (MOSTLY UNCHANGED) HAZARDS THE RISKS ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF A TRIP WORK OUT ABOUT EVEN.

USING SOME SIMPLE AND WELL-TESTED ASSESSMENT (AN ADJUSTED VERSION OF WHAT WE USED AFTER THE NUCLEAR ACCIDENT, MERS, 9/11 AND THE ANNUAL MONGOLIA BUBONIC OUTBREAKS) WE HAVE ADAPTED AND KEPT IN THE GAME, KEEPING BOTH OUR BUSINESS AND THE BUSINESSES OF THOSE WE COLLABORATE WITH FROM STALLING OR EVEN FAILING. IT WILL STILL BE A TENUOUS PROCESS FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, BUT IF MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN HAVE HAD YOU THINKING ABOUT THE FREEDOMS OF REMOTE MOUNTAINS, THE OPTION IS STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE

SECURITY

CHINA IS A MUCH SAFER COUNTRY THAN MANY PLACES WHERE EXPEDITION CLIMBING TAKES PLACE DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF PRIVATE FIREARMS & WIDE GOVERNMENT PRESENCE. CHINA IS NOT A POLICE STATE AS IS OFTEN MADE OUT, BUT MASSIVE POPULATION MOVEMENT BRINGS WITH IT ACCOMPANYING AUTHORITY OVERSIGHT.

IN THE RARE INCIDENTS OF UNREST FOREIGNERS HAVE NOT BEEN TARGETED, WITH RESTIVE REGIONS SIMPLY BEING CLOSED OFF AT A DISTANCE. THE CHANCE OF A FOREIGNER ACCIDENTLY BEING INVOLVED IN UNREST IS SLIM & EASILY AVOIDABLE. CHINESE AUTHORITIES TREAT ANY INCIDENTS INVOLVING FOREIGNERS VERY SERIOUSLY.

MOST OF OUR TRIPS HAVE LIAISION OFFICERS PRESENT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME, AND EXTENSIVE PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHORITIES. ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION, INTERACTIONS WITH SECURITY FORCES, MILITARY & POLICE ARE POLITE, FRIENDLY & USUALLY POSITIVE.

THE CHINA-PAKISTAN BORDER SUFFERS NONE OF THE VOLATILITY THE BORDER WITH INDIA DOES. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IS VERY GOOD. AREAS CLOSE TO THE BORDER ARE PATROLLED LIKE ANY BORDER, AND THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS ON PHOTOGRAPHY. ANY DRONE DEVICE IS EXPLICITLY BANNED.

XINJIANG IS AN ISLAMIC REGION WITH THE ETHIC GROUPS AS WELL AS MANY CHINESE BEING MUSLIM. THE IDEOLOGIES AS FOUND IN TRIBAL PAKISTAN, UZBEKISTAN & AFGHANISTAN HAVE VIRTUALLY NO PRESENCE IN XINJIANG, EVEN IN VERY TRADITIONAL AREAS. THE PEOPLE OF XINJIANG FOLLOW TOLERANT ISLAMIC RULES, WOMEN ARE NOT VEILED, MEN WEAR T-SHIRTS, WOMEN ARE NOT CHAPERONED ETC, CHINESE RESIDENTS IN XINJIANG HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO ABIDE BY ISLAMIC RULES. MOSQUES ARE LOW KEY AND OFTEN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS, AND ISLAMIC CULTURAL EVENTS ARE USUALLY OPEN TO ALL BUT ASK RESPECT. NON-MUSLIMS SHOULD DRESS LOW KEY & CASUALLY, AVOIDING SHOWING LEGS OR TOO MUCH SKIN IN RELIGIOUS OR TRADITIONAL PLACES.

WHILST IN XINJIANG, IF IN DOUBT ABOUT SECURITY CONCERNS DON’T HESITATE TO ASK.